Plastid DNA Diversity Is Higher in the Island Endemic Guadalupe Cypress Than in the Continental Tecate Cypress
Plastid DNA Diversity Is Higher in the Island Endemic Guadalupe Cypress than in the Continental Tecate Cypress Patricia Rosas Escobar1,2, David S. Gernandt3*, Daniel Pin˜ ero4, Pedro P. Garcilla´n5 1 Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Auto´noma de Baja California, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico, 2 Departamento de Zoologı´a, Instituto de Biologı´a, Universidad Nacional Auto´noma de Me´xico, Distrito Federal, Mexico, 3 Departamento de Bota´nica, Instituto de Biologı´a, Universidad Nacional Auto´noma de Me´xico, Mexico, Distrito Federal, Mexico, 4 Departamento de Ecologı´a Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecologia, Universidad Nacional Auto´noma de Me´xico, Distrito Federal, Mexico, 5 Centro de Investigaciones Biolo´gicas del Noroeste, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico Abstract Background: Callitropsis guadalupensis (Guadalupe cypress) is endemic to Guadalupe Island, Mexico, where it is the dominant species of the only forest. The species has suffered declining numbers following the introduction of goats to the island over 150 years ago. Callitropsis guadalupensis is closely related to Callitropsis forbesii (Tecate cypress), distributed in small isolated populations in mainland Baja California and southern California. The objective of the present study was to compare the genetic diversity of the island endemic to the continental species. Methodology/Principal Findings: We measured genetic diversity in Callitropsis guadalupensis (n = 54) from Guadalupe Island and in Callitropsis forbesii (n = 100) from five populations in mainland Baja California. The plastid DNA trnS-trnG spacer and the trnL-trnF region were chosen for characterization. Thirty-four haplotypes were observed, of which six were shared between both species. One of these haplotypes was also shared with three other species, Callitropsis lusitanica, Callitropsis montana, and Callitropsis stephensonii.
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